Гумилев - You will recall me

You will recall me - likely, more than once,
And you'll recall my world, both strange and dreamy,
The funny world where songs and fires dance,
And yet - the only one that's not deceiving.

It could have been your chosen world as well.
Perhaps it was too much for you, too little.
Perhaps, instead of Heaven, I begged Hell
For you alone, with poems badly written.

But every time you will avert your eyes
And you will say "I dare not remember,
I chose a simpler world with mortal lies
Its brute appeal has led to my surrender".

_______________________________________


Ещё не раз Вы вспомните меня
И весь мой мир, волнующий и странный,
Нелепый мир из песен и огня,
Но меж других единый необманный.

Он мог стать Вашим тоже, и не стал,
Его Вам было мало или много,
Должно быть плохо я стихи писал
И Вас неправедно просил у Бога.

Но каждый раз Вы склонитесь без сил
И скажете: "Я вспоминать не смею,
Ведь мир иной меня обворожил
Простой и грубой прелестью своею".
(c)


Рецензии
Finally, the true voice of Gumilev can be heard in English.
Mesmerizing!

Беляева Дина   28.06.2009 22:56     Заявить о нарушении
I decided to post this translation because it's one of my very favourite poems.
Thank you - and thank you for your thoughtful suggestions that, as you can see, I incorporated into this translation!

Кристина Девулите   28.06.2009 23:05   Заявить о нарушении
But you pull it off and made it shine through.

I did the same with Mandelstam translations (thought they are my personal bests),
but hardly anyone noticed, even when I attempted to promote them.
Nothing more, the rest are under lock and key :)

Беляева Дина   28.06.2009 23:56   Заявить о нарушении
Excellent! We'll keep on working then! Hope you are having a great Sunday afternoon:)

Кристина Девулите   29.06.2009 00:01   Заявить о нарушении